A Second Chance to Survive
by iwant2believe13
Summary: Sequal to "Still the One". When Mel's pregnancy triggers Romano's return, will she and Jim be able to stop him before he destroys their world forever?
1. Invisible Fire

**Author's Note: This is the sequal to "Still the One" So if you haven't already, you may want to read that before you read this story. It picks up two months after we left off. As always, read and review, and most importantly, ENJOY!**

* * *

Melinda trudged through the front door after a long and busy day at work. She was three months pregnant, and her usual schedule was starting to wear her out more than it used to. Too exhausted to walk much further than the living room, she plopped down heavily onto the couch and laid back, putting her feet up. She heard her husband, Jim, call out to her from the kitchen.

"Mel, is that you?"

"No. It's a ghost coming to attach itself to you." Melinda replied sarcastically.

Jim walked into the room and stopped a few feet short of the couch. "It's scary how that wouldn't surprise me in the least." He joked, a charming smile upon his face. He came over to the couch and sat down, moving Melinda's legs so they rested on his lap. "Rough day?" He asked.

"Not so much rough as tiring." Mel answered. "It's getting to be that time of year again. People are doing their spring cleaning, and they decide, what better place to get rid of their old stuff than the antique store. I barely had time to breathe all day."

Jim massaged her foot and looked at her sympathetically. "Maybe you ought to think about switching to half-days. It's not good for you to be under this much stress during pregnancy."

"I'm fine." She told him insistently. "In a couple of weeks it will slow down and be back to boring business-as-usual. Anyway, Delia needs me."

Jim sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to win. "Okaaay…" He said.

Melinda covered her mouth as she yawned, and then let her head fall back to rest on the arm of the couch. She closed her eyes and mumbled, "How was your day?"

"Pretty uneventful. Although I did save a man from the dreaded invisible fire." Jim said casually.

Melinda opened her eyes and looked at him quizzically, eliciting a chuckle from his side of the couch.

"It was an old man… Senile as they come. He was convinced that his kitchen was on fire." Jim explained.

"Was it?" Mel asked.

"No."

Melinda laughed.

"We spent an hour trying to tell this guy that there was no fire. Finally, we decided it was best to just play along. Hence, I ended up putting out an invisible fire today."

Melinda sat up and wrapped her arms around Jim. "Well aren't we a hero?" She crooned, nuzzling his neck with the tip of her nose.

Jim grinned and turned his body to face her, moving one of her legs aside and pulling her closer until she was sitting on his lap, completely wrapped around him. He hugged her tightly and drew her in for a kiss, and with their lips still brushing whispered, "You know what would be fun?"

"Oh yeah…" Mel giggled.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sure you can all imagine what happened next...**


	2. Running out of Time

After eating a wonderful dinner, Melinda and Jim were sharing the duty of washing dishes. Standing side by side at the sink, Jim looked at Melinda as she dried one of the plates with a dishtowel.

"I can get the rest of these if you wanna go lie down." He told her.

"It's okay." Mel said. "They'll be done quicker this way and then we can watch a movie together."

They continued the job in silence, and Jim was just putting the last of the dishes away when Melinda looked towards the window, her eyes widening in fear. The glass was fogged up, and there were words written on it as if by someone's finger: _Time is running out._

"Do you see that?" Melinda asked Jim, her voice shaky.

"What?" Jim looked over in alarm. Following her gaze, he looked at the window, but he saw nothing. "Mel, what is it?"

In a flash, a scene played out before Melinda's eyes.

_She was in a hospital room. Several doctors and nurses surrounded her bed, wearing scrubs and masks, their faces registering fear and panic._

"_Her BP is dropping!" One of the doctors yelled. "We're losing her."_

_A voice she recognized as Jim's came from somewhere behind the doctors. "What's going on?! Mel?"_

_Suddenly the monitor by her bedside let out a long, endless beep._

"_Code blue! We need a crash cart, now!" The doctor shouted._

"_No." Jim cried. "No! Mel!"_

Melinda snapped back to reality and found herself sitting on the floor in Jim's arms, her head resting against his chest.

"Mel!" Jim called.

Melinda took a deep ragged breath, and looked up at him. His eyes were wild with concern as he looked her over.

"What happened? Are you okay?" He asked anxiously.

"I… I had a vision." Mel replied weakly.

"What kind of vision?"

Mel looked down. _Should I tell him? _She wondered.

"Mel? What did you see?" Jim asked again.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Jim and Melinda were sitting together on the couch. Melinda was holding a cup of tea with both hands, her legs crossed Indian-style. She'd finally stopped trembling, but she exhaled a long shaky breath and shuddered as she thought about the vision again. Jim noticed, and his arm was instantly draped around her back, offering some comfort.

"Mel…" Jim said, looking at her in a combination of sadness and fear. "I'm really trying to stay calm here, but…" He tried to choose his words carefully. "Are you sure…?" Very carefully. "Your visions haven't always been right. Have they?"

"99.9% of the time." Melinda replied quietly.

Jim looked down and shook his head. "I refuse to accept that." He said.

"Accept it or not, there's a good chance that it will happen."

"But why?" Jim looked at her, his eyes shining with pain.

Melinda's own eyes filled with tears and she absently shook her head and shrugged, unable to offer him an answer. He took the teacup from her hands and set it on the coffee table before he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.


	3. Dangerous Waters

A few days later, Jim surprised Melinda by telling her that he wanted to take her away for a long weekend. His mother had recently bought a vacation home on the seashore, and she told him that he and Melinda could use it any time they wanted, so he saw this as the perfect opportunity. Melinda was overjoyed; she needed a vacation, and it would allow her to spend some alone time with Jim since they'd both been working so much lately. So on a sunny Friday morning, they packed up Melinda's Saturn with everything they'd need, and made their way for the shore.

It took only two hours for them to drive from Grandview, and before they knew it, they were pulling up to the beautiful white house on the oceanfront. The house had two floors. The main floor had a kitchen, a bathroom, a dining room, and a bright living room that opened up to a back deck with a breathtaking view of the beach. The second floor had two bedrooms, a master bathroom, and another small sitting area with a TV and stereo system. Jim and Melinda took the grand tour of the house before they began to unpack their things.

Melinda opened her extra-large suitcase and started sorting through the clothes she had brought. Jim had only brought a backpack with enough clothes to get him through their four-day excursion, and he was done before Mel had even begun to put things away. He came up behind her as she was re-folding some shirts to be put away in the dresser. He wrapped his arms around her and playfully nibbled her ear.

"Jiiim!" She protested, though she couldn't supress her laughter.

"You know we're only gonna be here for four days." Jim stated.

"I know. But I need my dinner clothes, my beach clothes, my shopping clothes, my clothes to relax in…" Mel rattled off. "And then there are pajamas, underwear, swimsuits…"

Jim cut in before she could go any further. "All right. Different clothes for different occasions. I get it." He put his hands up in a gesture of mock surrender.

Melinda turned around and stretched up to kiss him. "I knew you'd understand." She said with a smile as her lips parted from his.

"Mmm-hmm. Well I don't know about you, but I could use a drink after that drive we just tackled. Pinot Grigio?" He suggested.

"Bring it on." Mel replied.

* * *

It took twenty minutes for Melinda to finish the task of unloading her suitcase, and when she finished, she joined Jim on the deck. She sat beside him on a wicker loveseat, and he automatically put his arm around her. He handed her a glass of wine from the matching side table, and she snuggled against him as she took a sip.

"Mmm… It's gorgeous out here." She murmured, looking out at the waves lapping against the sand.

"It is." Jim agreed. "Almost as beautiful as the view right here." He added, looking at her and gently stroking her shoulder for emphasis.

"Jim Clancy," Melinda said accusingly, "Are you getting sappy on me?

"Not a chance." He leaned in and kissed her deeply, not pulling away for a long while. When he did, Melinda gazed into his eyes silently.

"What are you thinking?" Jim said after a moment.

"I'm thinking… That this couldn't be any more perfect." Melinda replied wistfully.

Jim smiled broadly and gave her a light squeeze. "So… You wanna go for a swim?"

"You read my mind."

The two finished off their wine and got up, prancing into the house to change into their swimwear.

* * *

Jim threw himself into the water with no hesitation. He was a few yards out before he looked back and saw Melinda hovering at the shoreline.

"Mel?" He called. "What's wrong?"

"The water is freezing!" She shouted back.

Jim turned around and headed back towards her. "Don't think about it - just jump in!"

Mel shook her head and shivered, hugging herself as she stuck one foot in the water. Jim couldn't help but laugh. She just looked too adorable. He trudged up to her, dragging his feet through the shallow water, and stopped right in front of her.

"Come on, Mel. It's not _that _cold." Jim said.

"It's frigid." Melinda retorted.

"You know? I think I can fix that." Before Mel could respond, Jim was sweeping her into his arms and plunging back into the water with her. She let out a scream as he threw her in. She came up, sputtering and rubbing her eyes, and then glared at him resentfully. He tried to hold back his laugher, but failed miserably. Next thing he knew, Melinda was jumping on his back, dunking his head underwater. They wrestled for a few minutes, spashing and dunking each other, laughing the whole time.

Somewhere in the chaos, Jim lost his bearing for a minute. He came up from underneath the water, and couldn't see Melinda. He spun around, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Mel?" He called out.

Nothing.

"Melinda?!" He tried again, this time his voice taking on an edge of panic.

Suddenly, something was grabbing his leg and pulling him under. He slipped and floundered as he went beneath the waves. He came back up to a laughing Melinda.

"What the… Mel! You scared the hell outta me!" He gasped.

"I'm sorry." She said, still chuckling. "I had to get you back after that stunt you pulled, throwing me in."

Jim took a deep breath and shook some of the water from his hair. He gave her a look of stern disapproval.

"Jim… " Mel looked at him apologetically. "Come on, baby. Don't be mad. I was just playing around."

"Playing around?" Jim said dryly. "I'll show you playing around."

He grabbed her around the waist and started tickling her relentlessly. She shrieked and giggled and batted at him wildly. When he decided to let up, he pulled her against him firmly and drew her into a long and thorough kiss. She came away breathlessly, a slow smile spreading across her face. Then she unexpectedly tackled him, latching onto his shoulders and dunking him again.

Jim decided to stay underwater and swim a few feet away to avoid being attacked again when he came up. He reached the surface and turned around, and again - no Melinda.

"Oh no. I'm not falling for that again." He called out, grinning.

He slowly made his way through the water, trying to find where she was hiding before she could jump out at him. He walked left, and then right. "Mel? Come on, honey, this isn't funny anymore." A knot was starting to form in Jim's stomach. He couldn't see her, and she'd been under for a while…

Then, something brushed against his ankle. Long flowing hair. Jim went under and found her lying at the bottom, unmoving. In one quick motion he hooked his arms under hers and pulled her up with him. When they broke the surface, her head dropped back limply. Her eyes were closed, and she was so pale… Her lips had taken on a slightly bluish tint. Jim's heart fell and his stomach lurched. _How could this happen? _He thought. _Just a minute ago we were having fun, and now… _He didn't have time to think. He quickly pulled her to the shore and laid her down on the sand.

He put his ear to her parted lips and prayed for breath. He felt nothing but the coldness of her skin against his. With shaking hands, he tilted her head back just a bit - just enough to open her airways. Then he gently pinched her nostrils closed as he leaned down and breathed into her. He waited a moment, hoping…

Melinda began to cough, water spewing out of her throat and lungs, and Jim lifted her with one arm and cradled her close as she tried to catch her breath. He tucked her damp hair away from her face and caressed her cheek lovingly.

"God, Mel." He whispered. "Please don't ever do that again."

"I…" Melinda said hoarsely through chattering teeth. "I'm sorry. I saw…" Her sentence was cut short by another coughing fit. Jim tightened his hold on her.

"Come on." He said, lifting her bridal-style. "Tell me in the house. We gotta get you warm."


	4. Life Inside

Jim sat down beside Melinda on the bed, holding a hot bowl of soup. Mel was bundled up in all the blankets Jim could find her, but she was still cold and trembling.

"Here." He said softly. "Eat this. It will help."

Melinda sat up against the headboard, and as she did so, Jim adjusted the pillow behind her back so she'd be more comfortable. Then he pulled the blankets up over her shoulders, and brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth. She swallowed it hard and coughed a couple of times.

Jim wiped some soup away from the corner of her mouth and looked at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Mel said. "I just can't stop shaking. And I feel like there's about a pound of water in my lungs."

Jim sighed and fed her another spoonful of soup.

"I saw Romano." Melinda said bluntly.

Jim froze and looked at her.

"In the water." Mel continued. "After I dunked you under… I felt like something was dragging me down. I couldn't get away. And then I saw him. He said 'You're not going to have this baby. You're mine.' And then I was drowning. I couldn't figure out which way was up, and I couldn't hold my breath anymore, and…." She burst into tears, and buried her head in the blankets.

Jim quickly put the soup down on the nightstand and moved closer to her, taking her into his arms. She turned into him and buried her head in his chest and cried for what seemed like hours. He stroked her hair and whispered in her ear, trying to calm her down. Soon, her crying turned into violent coughing, and she gasped for air. Jim took her arms and held them above her head.

"Breathe." He ordered. "You're alright. Breathe in…"

Mel wheezed, but managed to take a deep breath. Her trembling was worse now from the stress and exertion, and Jim lowered her arms and pulled the blankets back up around her.

"We have to be careful." He said, cupping her face in his hands."You could get pneumonia if you don't take it easy."

Jim spotted a stray tear trailing its way down her cheek and he wiped it away with his thumb. "Now listen to me." He said seriously. "I lost you once to this bastard, Romano. I'm not going to lose you again. You hear me?"

Mel nodded.

"What can we do?" Jim asked.

Melinda sighed. "The only thing I can think of is, I have to find a way to get him to cross over."

Jim looked at her nervously. "Mel, this isn't a normal ghost we're talking about. He's evil. He's hurt you a countless number of times, he's hurt me… I just don't think he's the crossing-over type."

"I'll figure out something." Mel said matter-of-factly. Then, suddenly, she jumped and her hand flew to her stomach.

"What? Mel? Are you okay?" Jim asked, panic-stricken.

A huge smile took over Melinda's face, and she looked up at him.

"The baby just kicked!" She announced happily.

Jim looked surprised for a second, and then he grinned broadly as Mel took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"There!" Mel said.

"I felt it." Jim laughed, and leaned down, placing a kiss on Melinda's stomach. "You…" He said to the baby. "Are gonna be fighter, just like your mother. And you're going to be brilliant and immensely good-looking, just like your daddy."

Melinda gently slapped Jim across the head and laughed loudly. "Now we can only hope for that modesty gene of yours." She joked.

Jim looked back up at Melinda, smiling a 1000-watt smile, and took her face in his hands. Then he kissed her with all the passion he could muster (which happened to be a lot). When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes for a minute, and then announced: "Baby's hungry. Must eat soup!" And he brought the bowl up to Melinda and fed her the rest.


	5. Seafood and Spirits

**Author's Note: I'm soooooooo sorry. It's been ages since I've updated… Life was really crazy for a while there, but now I'm back in action. So… here is a long-awaited chapter!**

* * *

Jim was sitting on the deck, watching the sun set over the ocean when Melinda came and joined him. She had been sleeping for hours. Jim spent a couple of those hours just watching her sleep, but then he decided to watch TV for a while, and now he was just admiring the beauty of the sunset.

"Hey!" Jim said, happy to see his wife awake. He put his arms out to her, and she took the cue to come and sit in his lap. "How you feeling?" He asked.

"Better." Mel replied honestly. "I just coughed up a ton of water, and it seemed to help a lot."

Jim wore a lopsided smile. "Well that's a lovely image." He kissed her temple. "I'm glad you feel better."

Melinda snuggled up against him, her head on his shoulder, and he ran his fingers through her hair. She was wearing dark gray cotton yoga pants and a white long-sleeved t-shirt, but he thought she looked more beautiful than ever. And Jim, in his navy blue wife-beater tank and faded jeans, was absolutely irresistible to Melinda. She smiled seductively and started kissing his neck.

"Wow." Jim murmured. "You _are _feeling better."

"Mmm-hmm." Mel hummed, tracing kisses over his jaw line until their lips met.

After making out under the setting sun, Jim carried Melinda inside. The temperature had dropped considerably with the sun down, and Jim didn't want Melinda to be exposed to the cold too much after the recent events of the day.

"I'm sorry I ruined day one of our romantic getaway." Mel said, sitting beside Jim on the couch.

"You didn't ruin anything." Jim replied, rubbing her back. "The night is young. I hear there's a great seafood place in town."

"Oooh…" Mel said, her eyes lighting up. "When can we leave?"

"As soon as we get dressed." Jim said, standing up and pulling Melinda to her feet.

* * *

They walked into the restaurant, arm in arm, and stopped in the lobby, waiting to be seated. Melinda had put on a white strapless dress that had a deep pink floral design swirling up from the hem to the waistline. She wore matching pink wedge sandals that added a few inches to her short stature, and her hair was down - parted slightly to one side and loosely curled. It wasn't apparent yet that she was a little over 12 weeks pregnant. Only she and Jim could notice a difference, and according to Jim it made her even more beautiful.

Jim was wearing black pants and a cornflower blue dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. No one could argue that they weren't an attractive couple. After a minute of waiting, a host showed them to their table. Jim pulled out Melinda's seat for her, and gently pushed her in once she was seated. Then he sat down himself and took his menu.

"What are you getting?" He asked Mel once she'd had a chance to look at the selection.

"I don't know." She said thoughtfully. "There are so many choices." She looked up at him. "You?"

"I think I'll get the 3 pound lobster." Jim replied.

Mel looked at him in shock and disgust. "3 pounds, Jim?"

"Sure, why not?"

Melinda shrugged it off. "Good luck with that…" She looked over the menu for another moment. "I think I'll get the salmon." She stated.

"_Excellent choice." _A voice rang from behind her. She spun around and looked up at a middle aged man who had unsightly burn wounds covering his face and neck. He wore a chef's uniform, and held a ladle in his hand. _Oh no. _Melinda thought. _And I thought I might get through this dinner ghost-free._

"Uh… Mel?" Jim said.

Mel quickly turned back around to face him, trying to act nonchalant, though her eyes were wide and her movements tense. "Nothing!" She blurted, before she realized that he hadn't asked her a question that would warrant that answer.

Jim smiled understandingly and raised his eyebrows with curiosity. "Who is it now?" He asked.

Melinda sighed, and put down her menu. Her husband knew her entirely too well. "It's a chef. Burn victim, by the looks of it."

"_It wasn't my fault! The repairman was supposed to fix those burners! They let out too much gas and when I turned them on - POOF!" _The chef told Melinda, gesturing to illustrate his point.

"I'm sorry, but now's not a good time." Melinda snapped at him.

"_Touchy…" _The chef retorted, disappearing.

Melinda shook her head with annoyance, and looked at Jim.

"Gone?" Jim asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Now I can enjoy my three pounds of mighty lobster glory in peace." Jim said with a smile.

Melinda's look of shocked disgust returned. "Ew!"

Jim was paying their tab, when Melinda got up from her chair.

"I'm just gonna use the washroom." She said.

Jim stood with her, and stepped forward to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"All right." He said. "I'll wait right here."

She walked off, and Jim sat back down, watching her go.

* * *

After Mel used the washroom, she walked out the door into the hallway when the chef ghost appeared in front of her, making her jump.

"_I need to talk to you." _He said.

"What is it?" Mel said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was watching.

"_I've heard about you. We all have." _He told her.

"We?" Melinda asked.

Three more ghosts appeared, surrounding her. Two women, wearing white blouses and black vests - waitresses, Melinda guessed. And another man, wearing a white shirt and apron.

"_You're the one that can save us." _One of the women said.

"_The guardian told us about you." _The other woman stated. _"She showed us how you'll beat Romano and help us all into the light."_

Melinda took a deep breath. She was all at once feeling overwhelmingly sad and frightened - exactly what the ghosts were feeling, quadrupled, and then some… It was too much, and it was making her head spin. She braced herself against the door frame.

"I… I don't know how to help you. I don't know how to beat him." Melinda said weakly.

"_You have to." _The chef said. _"You're our only hope."_

Melinda put a hand to her stomach. She was feeling nauseous and dizzy - she didn't know how much more she could take. But she needed to find out…

"How can I beat Romano?"

The chef opened his mouth to speak, but then Jim came around the corner into the hallway, causing all four ghosts to vanish.

"Mel?!" Jim called, seeing his wife leaning against the door, obviously ill. "Mel, are you alright?" He rushed to her side, and put his arm around her, supporting her as she swayed on her feet.

Melinda let out a shaky breath. "Yeah… Sorry."

Jim looked in her eyes. "You look pale. What happened?"

Mel had to fight back a strong wave of nausea, and it left her slightly breathless. She leaned more heavily against Jim, who in turn held her more firmly.

"I don't… feel so well." Mel murmured.

"Okay, Honey." Jim said. "Let's get you outta here."

* * *

Jim and Melinda made it out to the parking lot. Jim's arm was still tightly around Melinda; she felt so dizzy, it was hard to keep her balance. Suddenly, Melinda stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening in fear.

"Mel?" Jim asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

"Romano." Melinda whispered. He had appeared in front of her, and he was staring her down with a sinister grin.

"I've been watching you, Melinda. I've been listening…" Romano said evilly. Then, in a flash, he was directly in front of her face. "You can't beat me." He whispered in her ear before vanishing.

Romano's visit was all it took to push Melinda over the edge. She gasped at his quick departure, and then collapsed into Jim's arms.

"Mel!" Jim cried out, as he tried to hold her up. But she was unconscious, her body limp. He sank to the ground with her in his arms, shifting her so her head rested against his stomach and her shoulders were propped up in his lap. He cupped her face, and lightly tapped her cheek.

"Melinda!" He called. "Come on, babe. You're alright, just open your eyes for me." As he held her face in his hands, he realized the heat that was radiating from it. She had a fever… Jim wondered if it had just come on, or if she'd been sick all night without him noticing. "Oh God…" Jim whispered.

Another couple (a woman and a man a bit older than Jim and Melinda) exited the restaurant and came into the parking lot. They were talking and laughing, but when they saw Jim and Melinda, they stopped. Then, the man ran over.

"Oh my God. Is she alright?" The man asked.

Jim just stared at him blankly for a moment. He was having trouble processing the question with all the thoughts that were racing through his head.

_This is my fault… _Jim was thinking. _I should have taken her to the hospital earlier, after the incident at the beach… I shouldn't have taken her out… She could have pneumonia, and I'm letting her walk around like it's nothing. And the baby… What the hell was I thinking? _

"Sir?" The man asked, breaking Jim from his thoughts. "Do you need us to call 911?"

"Yes." Jim replied, his voice shakier than he'd expected it to be. "Call an ambulance."

A couple minutes later, the ambulance arrived. The EMTs rushed out and ran over to Melinda and Jim.

"What happened?" One of the EMTs, a young man asked. Jim glanced at his shirt; his nametag said Chris.

"She wasn't feeling well after dinner." Jim explained hurriedly. "She was dizzy, and we were leaving when she just collaped. We were swimming at the beach earlier today and she… she almost drowned." Jim continued, struggling with the memory of the terrifying event. "She lost consciousness for a few minutes and stopped breathing. I did rescue breathing to bring her back. I'm a paramedic, and I know I should have taken her to the hospital then, but I thought she would be alright…."

Chris nodded patiently as Jim rambled on and the other EMT got some equipment from the ambulance.

"How long has she been out?" Chris asked.

"Two, three minutes…" Jim said. "I think she has a fever." Jim sighed, and Chris smiled at him reassuringly.

"It will be alright." Chris said. "We'll take care of her."

"She's pregnant." Jim told him. "A little over three months."

The other EMT crouched down beside them and slipped a cuff around Melinda's arm to take her blood pressure. Chris started an IV, and after they were done they lifted her onto a gurney and into the ambulance.

Jim insisted on riding in the ambulance, and he sat beside Melinda, holding her hand, on the way to the hospital. A minute into the ride, she started to wake up.

"Jim." She whispered, turning her head towards him. Her eyes remained closed, but her breathing quickened.

"I'm here, Mel." Jim said. "You're gonna be alright. We're taking you to the hospital."

Melinda could only whimper in response, and Jim squeezed her hand gently to reassure her.

"It's okay." He said softly.


	6. Giving up the Gift

Jim had been sitting in the waiting room of the hospital for 20 minutes before a doctor came to speak with him.

"Mr. Clancy?"

Jim stood up and shook the doctor's hand. "Call me Jim." He said quietly. "How's Melinda?"

"Well. She's relatively stable, although she's suffering from a high fever. 104.6 to be exact. We're trying our best to bring it down." The doctor said. "As you've probably guessed, she has pneumonia. Now, we're monitoring the baby closely, and so far everything seems to be fine. It doesn't seem to be affecting it yet, but we could run into problems if Melinda's condition doesn't improve soon."

"Ok." Jim muttered, looking down. "Um… Is Melinda going to be okay?"

The doctor looked at Jim sympathetically. It was obvious that he was worried sick about his wife. "Usually I would say yes, without a doubt. But pneumonia is always harder on pregnant women, and it Melinda's case, it seems to be hitting her especially hard." The doctor explained. "But… I think with the proper rest and care here, she'll be fine."

Jim sighed anxiously. "Alright. Is… Is she awake? Can I see her?"

The doctor nodded and smiled. "Right this way."

Jim walked into the room the doctor led him to, and approached Mel's bed. She was pale and motionless, lying on her back with her hands gently resting at her sides. One hand had an IV running through it, and the other had a pulse-ox monitor on her finger. Her eyes were lightly closed. Jim took a seat in a chair beside the bed, and he gently took Melinda's IV-less hand in his. She stirred and weakly turned her head.

"Mel." Jim murmured.

Melinda's eyelids fluttered before they slowly opened halfway. She saw Jim and managed a small smile. "Hi." She whispered hoarsely.

"Hey." Jim said softly, trying to sound light-hearted although his voice was still filled with worry.

Melinda frowned as she became more coherent and realized what had happened. "Jim…" She rasped. "The baby…"

Jim leaned down, and smoothed her hair back, leaving his hand to rest on her forehead. He shushed her soothingly. "The baby's fine, Mel. Don't worry." He reassured her.

Melinda looked deeply into Jim's blue eyes for a moment before she spoke again. "If the baby's fine, why are looking at me like that?"

Jim shook his head and cracked a lopsided smile. "Looking at you like what?"

Melinda remained serious. "You look worried… Even moreso than usual."

Jim sighed. "Honey… you have pneumonia. You've got a high fever. I think I have a right to be more worried than usual."

Mel's forehead creased with concern. Jim read her mind.

"But the baby's fine. I promise." He told her.

"Ok." Mel whispered.

For a moment, the two sat in silence. Then, Melinda started coughing violently, desperately trying to catch her breath. Jim quickly poured some water into a glass from a pitcher by Mel's bedside. He slipped one arm under Melinda's shoulders and lifted her up so she could take a drink. Jim held the glass to her lips as she sipped the water slowly. When she was finished, she weakly pushed the glass away and Jim set it back down on the table.

"Thanks." Mel whispered breathlessly.

Jim continued to hold Melinda, and he brushed her hair away from her forehead lovingly. She looked up at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"Why does this kinda stuff always have to happen to me?" Mel cried.

"Shhh." Jim whispered, holding her even closer as he brushed away a tear trailing its way down her cheek.

"No," Mel said, raising her voice in frustration, "We're finally pregnant…. After all we've been through… Why can't we ever just be happy? Why can't we ever be safe? I'm always in danger, and putting everyone else in danger too. And now the baby…." Mel closed her eyes and started sobbing.

"Mel," Jim murmured soothingly. "Mel, it's okay."

"It's not okay." Mel said brokenly.

"Listen to me, Melinda." Jim said, more resolutely now. "The baby is okay. You're going to be okay. Don't do this to yourself."

Melinda looked into Jim's eyes and took a deep watery breath. "I can't do this anymore." She whispered sadly. Tears continued to stream down her face. "This gift… I don't want it anymore. I don't want any of it. I quit."

Jim stared at his wife for a moment, unsure of how to respond. In all the years he'd known Melinda, he had never heard her seriously talk about wanting to give up her gift. But hearing her say it now, he knew she meant it.

"Mel… I don't think quitting is an option."

"Why?" Melinda asked. "I don't have to help them. It's my choice. I can just ignore them until they leave me alone."

"You know that won't work.' Jim stated. "Your mom tried that her whole life, and it just made her miserable. And her gift isn't nearly as strong as yours. This is what you're meant to do, honey."

Melinda closed her eyes and shook her head.

Jim leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Everything will be okay," He said. "We'll get through this. We always do."

* * *

After Jim managed to calm Melinda down, she succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep. Jim dozed off not long after her, his head resting on her shoulder. They slept like that through the night, not even waking up when a nurse came by to check Melinda's vitals.

Before Jim knew it, morning had arrived. He awoke to find that his back had grown stiff and sore from sleeping in the hospital chair, slumped over Melinda's bed all night. He sat up and stretched, careful not to wake Melinda. Then, he stole a quick glance at her heart and blood pressure monitors. He frowned, noticing that her blood pressure was more elevated than it had been the night before. He leaned in close and placed his hand on Mel's forehead. It was clammy with sweat, and still burning hot from fever. Jim sighed anxiously. It seemed as if she was getting worse instead of better.

Melinda began to stir, and she opened her eyes slowly, smiling when she saw Jim.

"Jim," She mumbled sleepily, "What time is it?"

"Just about ten o'clock." Jim replied. He cleared his throat, trying to sound less worried than he really was. "How do you feel?"

Mel coughed a few times, and then groaned softly. "I feel…" She said hoarsely, coughing once more, "Like I have sand in my lungs."

Jim took her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. "I'm gonna get the doctor." He said, about to stand up.

"Wait." Mel stopped him. "Why? What's wrong?"

Jim looked at her tenderly. He didn't want to scare her, but he couldn't lie to her either. He could see that she was a little suspicious. He looked her in the eyes and cleared his throat again.

"Your blood pressure is elevated." Jim stated. "I just think the doctor should check on you and make sure that everything's still alright."

Mel's hand immediately went to her stomach, protectively covering her unborn child. Jim saw this and silently reprimanded himself for causing her probably unnecessary fear.

"Don't worry…" Jim said, softly kissing her lips before he stood up. "Worrying is my job. Just take it easy. I'll be right back."

True to his word, Jim was back just a minute later with the doctor right behind him. The doctor came around to Melinda's bedside, and Jim stood to wait at the foot of the bed.

"Hello, Melinda. I don't believe I've had a chance to properly introduce myself. You were unconscious when I saw you yesterday. I'm Doctor Cullen."

Melinda weakly shook the doctor's hand. "Hi," she whispered, before coughing several times.

Dr. Cullen reached over and grabbed a thermometer off a nearby cart. "I'm going to take your temperature, Melinda. This will only take a second." He put the thermometer in her ear and waited for the beep before reading it. He frowned thoughtfully, and wrote down the number on Melinda's chart. Then, he put on his stethoscope and sat on the edge of Melinda's bed.

"How are you feeling today? Any pain or discomfort?" Dr. Cullen asked as he listened to Melinda's heart and lungs with the stethoscope.

"Um…" Melinda murmured. "My chest hurts… I guess my whole body is kind of achy."

Dr. Cullen nodded. He wrote something else in the chart, and then he stood up again. "Well, I'm going to see about upping the dosage of your medication. And don't worry, it won't cause any harm to the baby. I'll be by again in a few hours to do another ultrasound."

Dr. Cullen moved to leave the room, but Jim stopped him in the doorway.

"How is she?" Jim asked, quietly so Melinda wouldn't hear.

"Well, you were right. Her condition is worse than it was yesterday, but it's not all that unusual for things to get worse before they get better." Dr. Cullen explained. "The fever is most likely escalating because it's trying to burn off the infection. The medication should help, and we're going to keep a close eye on her to make sure it doesn't get any worse."

Jim nodded, and looked down at his feet. "And… what if it does get worse? What then?" He asked worriedly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Dr. Cullen replied. He patted Jim on the shoulder, and walked away.

Jim went back to his seat beside Melinda. She reached out for his hand, and he took it into both of his.

"How bad is it?" Mel whispered.

"What did I tell you?" Jim said, trying to sound lighthearted and failing miserably. "No worrying. Everything is gonna be fine."

"Jim." Melinda demanded.

Jim sighed in defeat. "You're fever is spiking. They're raising the dosage on your meds to try and stop it."

"Okay." Melinda said.

Jim looked at her, expecting more of a reaction, but she seemed to be lost in thought. "Honey…?"

"Hmmm?" Mel murmured. Then she seemed to snap out of her thoughts as something came to her. "Jim, you must be starving. Why don't you go get something to eat?"

"I'm not leaving you." Jim stated.

Mel looked at him seriously. "I'm gonna be here for a while. You're gonna have to eat eventually."

"Nope." Jim said. "Don't have to. You can't make me."

"Jiiiiim." Mel complained.

Jim sighed. "Honey, really. I'm fine. And I don't want to leave you alone right now." As if to prove him wrong, Jim's stomach chose precisely that moment to start growling from hunger.

"See?" Mel said. "You're hungry. Just go get something, and bring it back here if it would make you feel better. I'm not going to watch you not take care of yourself on my account."

"Mel."

"Don't 'Mel' me. Go!" Melinda demanded.

Jim thought about it for a minute, and then shook his head in protest and got up. "Fine. But I'm just going to a vending machine. The cafeteria's too far away."

Mel rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

Jim leaned down to kiss her. "So are you." He murmured in her ear. Then he smiled, and walked out the door.

Melinda smiled to herself at her small victory, and closed her eyes to rest until Jim got back. But suddenly, the room grew cold, and she started shivering. She opened her eyes, and saw Romano standing beside her bed.

"Time is up, Melinda."

* * *

**A/N: Uh-oh! Cliffhanger.... What do you all think?**


	7. Come Back to Me

**Author's Note: Chapter 7 is finally here! It's a little bit longer and more dramatic. As usual, please read and review! I'd like to hear what you think =)**

* * *

Melinda tried to sit up, but she felt as if she was paralyzed. Excruciating pain was spreading throughout her body, and she was helpless to even call for help. She began to panic, and tears streamed down her face as she struggled to even breathe.

"Please…. No." Melinda gasped.

Romano laughed evilly. "The watchers warned you, Melinda." He said. "They told you, you had to stop me or you would end up right back where you started… It looks like you failed."

Melinda's vision was swimming before her eyes. She shut them tightly, hoping to make the scene before her disappear. Instead, she was thrown into a flashback.

_The watcher stood before Melinda in a dark abyss. "The spirit world depends on you, Melinda." She said, "With you being gone, so is the light. All souls will be trapped. Earthbound for all of eternity."_

"_Why?" Melinda asked._

"_Because you are the one." The watcher explained. "You're the balance between light and dark, life and death. That's what we've been trying to tell you all along. That's the reason that Romano wanted you on his side. You have just as much power as he does. And with that power, you can stop him and free all the souls he's worked so hard to trap. And in doing so, you would leave him powerless."_

"_I still don't understand." Melinda said._

"_If we send you back, you need to find him and put an end to what he's done." The guardian explained. "And if you don't… You'll end up back here, and you'll be trapped like all the others."_

Melinda opened her eyes.

"You may have been able to stop me before." Romano said. "But now it's too late."

Melinda tried to scream as the pain became unbearable. Her vision was fading to gray and black. She could vaguely hear the monitors beside her beeping erratically. Then, there was no pain. There was only darkness and silence.

* * *

Jim was walking through the hallway with a bag of Doritos, a Snickers bar, and a bottle of Mountain Dew, when he saw Dr. Cullen and a few nurses running towards Melinda's room. Jim's stomach dropped. For a moment, he simply froze, afraid to find out what was happening. Then, he dropped his snacks and ran into the room as fast as he could.

He stopped in the doorway. The monitors were going crazy as Melinda's heart rate slowed and her breathing stopped.

"Melinda." Jim whispered.

Dr. Cullen, two nurses, and another doctor Jim didn't recognize were surrounding Melinda's bed. One nurse was holding an oxygen mask over Melinda's mouth and nose, squeezing a bag to pump air into her lungs. Dr. Cullen lifted Melinda's eyelid and shone a penlight into her eyes.

"Melinda! Can you hear me?" Dr. Cullen shouted.

The beeping from the monitors sped up and grew even louder.

"Her BP is dropping!" Dr. Cullen yelled to the nurses. "We're losing her."

Jim, who was frozen in fear and shock, finally found his voice: "What's going on?! Mel!"

The monitors let out a long, endless beep.

"Code blue! We need a crash cart now!" Dr. Cullen shouted, as the other doctor shoved past Jim to retrieve the proper equipment.

"No." Jim cried. Tears blurred his vision as he watched Dr. Cullen perform CPR on his wife. "No! Mel!"

The other doctor came running back into the room with a cart. He charged the defibrillator and handed the paddles to Dr. Cullen.

"Clear!" Dr. Cullen yelled, and gave Melinda a shock.

"No change." One of the nurses stated.

"A hundred joules." Dr. Cullen said. The other doctor charged the defibrillator again, and nodded at Dr. Cullen.

"Clear!" He yelled.

After a second, the monitor started beeping normally again.

"We have a pulse" Dr. Cullen said.

Jim shakily let out the breath he'd been holding, and scrubbed away the tears that were running down his face.

Dr. Cullen checked over Melinda while the nurses left the room and the other doctor approached Jim.

"Why don't you step outside while Dr. Cullen takes a look at your wife?" The doctor told Jim.

"No!" Jim growled, more intensely than he'd intended to. "I'm not going anywhere."

The doctor simply looked at Jim incredulously and walked away.

After a minute, Dr. Cullen turned to face Jim.

"Mr. Clancy, I'm afraid your wife has slipped into a coma. I'm going to page a specialist to check up on the baby, but unfortunately for now there's nothing we can do but wait."

Jim let out a quiet sob, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry." Dr. Cullen said.

"But…" Jim said, his voice breaking, "How did this happen? Why?"

"My best guess is that her body is too weak to fight off the fever, so it just shut down." Dr. Cullen explained. "She could wake up in a few hours or a few days. Right now, I just don't know."

Jim stared past Dr. Cullen at Melinda, lying so still in her hospital bed. _I shouldn't have left her alone. _Jim thought. _I knew I should have stayed… I could have saved her._ Tears continued to make their way down Jim's face, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered to him as long as Melinda wasn't well.

"You can stay with her as long as you like." Dr. Cullen said. "The OB-GYN should be here within the hour." With that, Dr. Cullen patted Jim on the shoulder and left the room.

Jim numbly walked over to the chair beside Melinda's bed and sat down. He took her hand in his and leaned over, bringing her hand against his cheek.

"Please, Mel…" He whispered brokenly. "Come back to me."

* * *

Jim sat vigil by Melinda's bed, refusing to leave her side no matter what. The specialist came to look at the baby, and determined everything was still fine. Melinda's condition, however, remained unchanged.

After a few hours, Jim began to doze off, laying his head beside Melinda's. He found himself transported back in time, to a memory of the night that changed his life forever.

* * *

_May 10, 2002:_

_Jim was lighting candles on his kitchen table when a loud crack of thunder outside startled him. It was his and Melinda's 6-month anniversary, and he was trying to make it as special as possible. He had considered taking her to "the Umbrella Room" in memory of their first date, but there were severe thunderstorm warnings throughout New York, and although the night they met had also been rainy, he didn't want to put Melinda through that again._

_Everything seemed to be ready. Dinner was done, and it sat on the stovetop so it would stay warm. The table was set with a pristine white tablecloth covered in fresh red rose petals, and three red candles were lit on the center of the table. He'd put out his best plates and silverware for the occasion, and a single red rose laid across Melinda's plate. He was satisfied with his work; now all he had to do was wait for Melinda._

_He checked his watch, it was 6:05 pm. His forehead creased with worry. 'Melinda was supposed to be here five minutes ago,' he thought, 'she's never usually late…' He was about to pick up his cell phone to call her, when there was a knock on his door. He hurried over and opened it to greet his girlfriend. She stood there soaking wet from head to toe and shivering._

"_Mel!" Jim said, putting his arm around her and leading her into his apartment. "You're drenched! What happened?"_

_Through chattering teeth she explained to him: "There's a downed power line on West 90th__… I was taking a cab here, and it got stuck in traffic. The driver said it would probably be hours before we were moving again, and I didn't want to be late so I…. I…" Her sentence was cut off as she loudly sneezed._

_Jim wrapped her in a tight hug, and she trembled against him. "So you walked." He said, finishing her sentence. She nodded. "Mel, you're freezing." Jim stated with concern. "It's storming outside. You could get sick… Why didn't you just call me?"_

"_My phone died on the way over." She told him._

_Jim sighed, and stepped back a bit so he could look at her. She looked as if she'd jumped in a lake. She was dripping all over his floor, and shivering as if it were 20 degrees outside instead of 60. But she looked cuter than ever._

"_Come on," Jim said, "Let's get you dried off."_

_Jim put his arm around Melinda's shoulders and led her to his bathroom. When they walked in, he pulled a large fluffy towel off the shelf and wrapped it snugly around her, pulling her closer to him as he did so. She smiled, and he leaned in and met her lips in a tender but passionate kiss. When they broke apart, he looked deeply in her eyes. What he saw there worried him, though… He saw pain. Before a week ago, he'd always seen light and happiness in her warm brown eyes. But very recently, something had changed, and it scared him._

"_Are you okay, Mel?" Jim asked, his voice soft and caring._

_Melinda faked a smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" She began to dry her hair with the towel, trying to avoid eye contact with Jim._

"_I dunno." Jim replied. "It's just… This past week you've been acting different. You seem distant, like something's bothering you."_

_Melinda continued to stare at the tiled floor as she wrung her hair out with the towel. "Everything's fine, Jim."_

_Jim put his hands on Mel's shoulders and turned her to face him. She dropped the towel to her side and looked at him. _

"_You can talk to me, babe." Jim said lovingly. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."_

_Melinda simply gazed into his eyes for a moment, before looking away again. "Um… Do you by any chance have some clothes I can borrow?" Mel asked shyly, "I mean, until mine are dry…"_

_It was obvious to Jim that she was trying to change the subject, and he didn't want to force her to talk if she didn't want to, but it hurt him that she felt like she had to hide things from him. He sighed, and absently rubbed her shoulders. "Yeah." He said. "I'll go grab you something out of my dresser."_

_Five minutes later, Mel came out of the bathroom wearing one of Jim's t-shirts, which practically came down to her knees, and a pair of shorts that she had to tie extra-tight around her waist so they wouldn't fall off. Jim couldn't help but laugh._

"_Shut up!" Melinda said, although she was also smiling._

_Jim came up and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry babe, you just…" he stopped mid-sentence, as he was laughing too hard to continue. "You just…."_

_Melinda playfully slapped his arm as he doubled over with laughter. "Ha ha." She mumbled sarcastically._

_Jim regained his composure (sort of) and kissed her on the head. "I'm sorry. You look adorable."_

_Melinda grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down to her level for a kiss. When they were done, Jim took her hand and started pulling her towards the kitchen._

"_Come on, I've got a surprise for you." He said._

_Melinda quietly gasped when she saw all the trouble Jim had gone to for her. She froze, taking in the whole scene. Jim draped his arm around her back and pulled her against him. "Happy six months, Mel." He whispered, kissing her head._

"_Jim…" Melinda breathed, "Wow."_

"_Do you like it?" Jim asked._

_Melinda turned towards him and put her arms around his neck. "I love it." She whispered. Then, she buried her face in his chest. Jim just held her for a moment, and then he felt moisture soaking through his shirt. "Mel?" He asked. "Honey?"_

_He heard her sniffle, so he pulled back to look at her face. She was crying. "Hey…." He crooned softly. "Hey, what's wrong?"_

_Mel let out a quiet sob. "I'm sorry…."_

"_Sorry for what?" Jim asked. "Mel, what's wrong? Please talk to me."_

"_I can't." Mel cried. "I…. I…. I can't do this. I'm sorry. Jim, I'm so sorry…."_

_Mel was starting to become hysterical. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. Her knees gave out, and Jim held on to her tightly. He lowered her to the floor, and simply sat there with her in his arms crying her eyes out._

"_Shhh…" He whispered. "Mel, it's alright…. Whatever it is, it's gonna be okay. Please, just calm down. You're alright."_

_The truth was, Jim was scared. In the six months he'd known Melinda, he'd never seen her like this. He'd seen her cry, but that was only during movies. He had no idea what was causing her so much pain, but he was desperate to make it better for her._

_After a few minutes, Melinda finally calmed down. She pulled away from Jim and did her best to wipe away her tears._

"_Jim… I'm sorry…. " She whispered._

_Jim reached over and brushed her hair away from her face. "Hey, you don't have to be sorry. There's nothing to be sorry for." He said. "I just wish you would tell me what this is all about. What's wrong? Is it something I did? I really want to help, Mel, but I need to know what's going on."_

_Melinda looked into his concerned blue eyes, and she suddenly had the courage to do what she knew she had to do._

"_Jim…. I….." She started, her hands beginning to shake. Jim noticed this, and took her hands in his. _

"_I…." She continued. "There's something I have to tell you… And I'm really scared because I don't know how you'll react, and I love you so much, and I'm so afraid of losing you…."_

"_Mel." Jim interjected. "No matter what it is, you are not going to lose me. I love you more than anything. I promise you, whatever you have to tell me, I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere." Jim released one of Mel's hands for a second to catch a tear that was trailing its way down her cheek._

_Melinda took a deep breath, and looked Jim in the eyes. She believed him. As frightened as she was, she believed him. So she continued._

"_There's something you should know about me. You may not understand it, and you may not believe it, but it's a really big part of who I am so if you really love me, you need to know…. Um….. Well…. Sometimes, when people die… They have unfinished business here that might keep them from finding peace. I…. I can…. I can see these people." Melinda's voice wavered, as she began to break down in tears again. "I can see them, and I can talk to them, and I help them. I help them cross over into the light and find peace. I know it sounds crazy, but it's a gift I've had since I was a little girl. And the night we met….. You wondered how I knew that man was still in the building….?"_

_Mel was looking at her hands, enclosed firmly in Jim's resting on her knees. She was afraid to see Jim's face. She couldn't bear to see the look of disbelief that crossed everyone's face when she told them…. She couldn't handle seeing her Jim look at her that way, so she focused on their hands. If she had been looking up, though, she would see that Jim's expression was not one of disbelief, but one of fascination. He nodded as she explained everything…._

"_I knew the man was still in the building because his wife's spirit told me." Melinda let out a single sob. "I know that you probably think I'm nuts…. And….. And you probably want nothing to do with me now, but….."_

"_Mel." Jim said, interrupting Melinda. But she didn't hear him._

"…_.If you just think about it…." Mel continued. "And try to understand…. Please Jim, I….."_

"_Mel!" Jim said, more loudly this time. Melinda stopped, and put her head in her hands again. Her shoulders shook as she silently cried. Jim gently but firmly pulled Melinda's hands away from her face. He held her right hand, and put his other hand against her cheek._

"_Mel…" He repeated. She looked at him brokenly, tears streaming down her face. It broke his heart. "Why didn't you tell me this before?" He asked softly._

_Melinda took a deep shuddering breath. "Because you'd never believe me." She cried. "You'd think I was crazy….. And I couldn't handle that. I can't."_

"_But I believe you." Jim stated with a crooked smile._

"_You do?" Melinda asked hopefully._

_Jim cupped Melinda's face in his hands. "I do. Wow. I mean, ghosts, right? It all makes sense, somehow…." He said, somewhat excitedly._

_Melinda tried to read Jim's expression. She searched for any sign of doubt or disbelief, but she saw none. Now, he was just looking at her quizzically, reflecting the expression she was giving him._

"_What?" Jim asked._

"_You really believe me…." Mel said, in awe._

"_Of course I believe you, Mel. Why?"_

_Melinda just threw herself into Jim's arms, and hugged him more tightly than she'd ever hugged him before. Jim laughed._

"_Whoa, honey…"_

"_I love you!" Melinda said. "God, I love you."_

* * *

Jim woke up dazed, and took a minute to register when and where he was. He lifted his head, and saw Melinda… His love, his life, his everything… And she was slipping away from him. Now it was Jim who put his head in his hands and cried.


	8. The Warning

**Author's Note: FINALLY! A new chapter!!! You should read my A/N preceding the new chapter of my story "Big Ghost on Campus" to get the full apology…. Anyway, I really hope you like the update. It only took me 6 months to write ;-) There's TONS of good chapters coming up, so I hope that makes up for the extra-long hiatus. As usual, read and review! And if you have any suggestions for upcoming chaps, please let me know!**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3 Emily**

* * *

**Previously on GW:**

_**"Mr. Clancy, I'm afraid your wife has slipped into a coma. I'm going to page a specialist to check up on the baby, but unfortunately for now there's nothing we can do but wait."**_

_**Jim let out a quiet sob, and pinched the bridge of his nose.**_

_**"I'm sorry." Dr. Cullen said.**_

_**Jim woke up dazed, and took a minute to register when and where he was. He lifted his head, and saw Melinda… His love, his life, his everything… And she was slipping away from him. Now it was Jim who put his head in his hands and cried.**_

* * *

Meanwhile….

Melinda looked around. She was on the beach. It was beautiful. Sunset, with the waves slowly lapping against the white sand of the shoreline. There was a warm, soft breeze blowing and she could smell the scent of the ocean in the air. She sighed contentedly. But then she heard something in the background. It was so quiet, she could barely make out the sound. She followed it. Walking barefoot across the sand, she found a plain wooden door. She slowly opened it. Inside was a hospital room. She heard the slow, steady beeping of machinery. She saw herself lying in a bed, looking ghostly pale, with various pieces of life support equipment attached to her. Next to her was Jim, **her** Jim, sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. He was sobbing quietly and brokenly. She stepped closer and reached out for him. When she tried to touch him, though, her hand went right through him.

"Mel…." He cried. "Please…. Please don't leave me. I love you. Come back to me, baby."

"Jim!" Melinda shouted. "I'm here! I'm right here! I'm okay! Please see me!"

But Jim couldn't hear her. He didn't know she was right there, and he continued to cry. Melinda broke down as well. She couldn't bear to watch this… She ran to the door she came in through, back out to the beach. When she got there, she saw a familiar face awaiting her.

"Melinda."

The watcher stood before her, her dark skin glowing in the dim light of the setting sun.

"What…" Melinda stuttered. "What's happening?"

"I warned you, Melinda." The watcher replied.

Melinda closed her eyes and a flashback played out before her.

* * *

_The watcher spoke: "We can send you back to the beginning of the end. To the event that triggered it all."_

_Melinda looked at her questioningly._

"_The shooting at the lodge." The guardian said. "Jim will live. But you will both have the knowledge of what has happened. You'll both remember his death, your death and everything in-between."_

_Melinda let out a short laugh. "If that's the only consequence…."_

_The guardian quickly interjected. "It's not. We're doing this because all of the spirit world depends on you, Melinda. With you being gone, so is the light. All souls will be trapped. Earthbound for all of eternity."_

"_Why?" Melinda asked._

"_Because you are the one." The guardian said. "You're the balance between light and dark, life and death. That's what we've been trying to tell you all along. That's the reason that Romano wanted you on his side. You have just as much power as he does. And with that power, you can stop him and free all the souls he's worked so hard to trap. And in doing so, you would leave him powerless."_

"_I still don't understand." Melinda said._

"_If we send you back, you need to find him and put an end to what he's done." The guardian explained. "And if you don't… You'll end up back here, and you'll be trapped like all the others."_

_A chill ran down Melinda's spine at the thought of being trapped here forever. "Okay." She said softly. "I'll do it. Just please let me go back."_

* * *

Melinda opened her eyes, and looked at the watcher fearfully.

"You see, Melinda… Romano needs to be stopped. And only you can stop him."

Melinda felt her cheeks grow red with anger. She gritted her teeth. "How can I stop him if I'm in a coma?!" She demanded.

The watcher laughed. "There's no need to be angry. This was the plan all along."

Melinda glared at her.

The watcher grew serious again. "You can only go up against him if you are on the same plane as him. Death was not an option for you, so this is the only way…"

Tears streamed down Melinda's face. "But Jim…" She cried. "I need to be with Jim. He needs me."

"You can return to him as soon as you finish what you are meant to do." The watcher explained.

Mel took a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke. "Okay." She said rationally. "Tell me what I need to do."

* * *

**A/N: To Be Continued VERY soon!!!**

**P.S. ~ The Flashback is from my story "Still the One" which precedes this story. If you have not read it yet, I suggest you do so =)**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3 Emily**


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